Beads and buttons

[magid]

I've been crocheting a lot more jewelry lately, and starting to think more about decorations, either in the body, or as a clasp. Which has lead me to Beadworks, to get light beads that have a large enough hole for my crochet thread to go through, and to Windsor Button Shop, to get buttons with a large enough shank to crochet through (but still fairly light and on the small side). Neither had exactly what I was hoping for (though I did find things of use :-), so I'm looking for suggestions of other places to check. (Online is less useful than somewhere Boston-centric, since I prefer to be able to check that I can get thread or hook through the holes.)

Comments

[fairdice.livejournal.com]

The Button Box (http://www.buttonboxquiltshop.com/), in Needham (974 Great Plain Ave (http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=974+Great+Plain+Ave,+Needham,+MA)). Superb place.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. I'd forgotten about them. Thank you.

(It was much easier to think about going there when my regular commute was to Needham, rather than downtown. I'll have to figure out whether I should aim for a Thursday evening, or a Sunday.)

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Pearl? Any of various Michael's?

[magid.livejournal.com]

Right. I tend to forget about Pearl for things like this, because while they have a ton of stuff, it's not necessarily a lot of any particular kind of thing.

Michael's... I dislike them. Not enough not to go, but somehow whenever I end up there, it feels like it's all kits and kitsch and fake stuff. I probably should stop by, though, next time I'm headed that way.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how good Pearl's button or bead collection is, but they do have one (and it's close to you). You might also take a look at Artist Supply, right across the street from Pearl - if for no other reason than to admire the way they've done their walls :) (I don't know if they have anything in the way of beads/buttons, but some of their art supplies are better stocked than Pearl).

Agree re:Michael's, but they do have a TON of beads, if you want to buy relatively large quantities of somewhat generic beads (though they do also carry pretty semi-precious stone beads and etc., along with plain old seed beads and such).

[magid.livejournal.com]

In fact, I'll be in Central this evening, to pick up veggies, so I should stop by. I haven't yet made it to Artist Supply; I'm now curious about their walls :-).

Michael's: I had gotten basic 'pearl' beads previously to use as clasps, but now I'm thinking more about patterns, and want things that are reasonably nice (whatever appeals, I suppose is what I mean). A lot of the generic beads don't have a large enough hole to let my size thread through (I looked at a lot of beads at Beadworks). I suspect I'll end up there sometime, but won't go out of my way to get there soon.

[gingicat]

You can come look through my collection. Most of the beads won't accomodate a crochet hook, but I think some will.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I've been working with beads that have a hole big enough for the thread, and putting them on the thread at the beginning of a project, while the buttons with large enough shanks to accommodate a crochet hook I put on wherever I want them (generally as part of a clasp).